Sweet Dreams
by LiaLilac
Summary: Karkat struggles with the daily grind: A job, a follower, a nagging sister, a hospitalized girlfriend...stuff no 20 year old guy should have to deal with. Things get strange in the young woman's dreams...Rated for language.
1. Chapter 1: A Visit

I scooped up my backpack and stomped out of the house. I shut and locked the door, and grabbed my bike. I jogged and jumped on, giving the wheels a kickstart. I was late for work. I rode on, taking my hands off of the handlebars for a moment to secure my hat and apron. I pedaled for another couple blocks, and then I was finally at my destination.

I locked up my bike, and hurried into the small corner coffee shop. I nodded at my bro Sollux, and rushed to the back room to clock in. I almost turned around when I saw my boss in the break room.

"Vantas." He snuffed. "You're late."

"I'm sorry, sir." I apologized as I ducked my head, and headed to hang up my jacket and bag.

"I swear, I should start docking your pay." Mr. Slick grunted, and then turned back to his porn magazines.

I huffed, and got back to the register. I stood there, just as I do every day, taking and filling orders. When the clock finally hit 12:30, I was ready to get out of there like a bat out of Hell, but Hell had other plans.

"Hello, Karkitten." An all too familiar voice purred.

"Good afternoon, Nepeta." I greeted her politely through gritted teeth. "Where's you bodyguard?"

The small, black haired woman smiled mischievously. "I gave him the slip."

Nepeta Leijon was a pet store owner whose cousin declared himself her guardian since he could talk.

"Nepeta," I heard a firm voice call. "Your lunch break isn't for another half hour."

"It's MY STORE, Equius!" She groaned, as if having said this many times. It made her leave, though.

I shrugged on my jacket, and ran over to the nearby mental hospital, flowers in hand.

I walked through the door, and up to the reception desk.

"Hey, Kanaya." I greeted my sister.

The nurse looked at me. "You're late?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Nepeta." I grunted. "She doesn't seem to understand the words 'I_ have a girlfriend_'".

Kanaya smacked my hand as I signed in. "You need to be nicer to her."

I rolled my eyes, and punched the elevator button. The doors slid open, and I hit the button for the 5th floor.

The elevator opened at my destination with a _ding,_ and I instinctively walked over to room 413.

I knocked. Vriska's blonde and blue head popped out. "Come in, but be quiet. She's asleep." I edged my way around Vriska, and over to the small figure in the bed.

My heart ached as I looked on the girl in the fetal position. I put the roses in the vase next to her bed. I sat, watching her sleep, as her sister filed through old pictures, tacking them onto a corkboard.

Finally the figure stirred, and her eyes opened. My breath caught at the glazed look in them.

"Karkat?" She questioned weakly.

"Hey, Terezi."


	2. Chapter 2: A Proposition

Kanaya was there a few minutes later, asking Terezi about her dreams. She acted defensive, just like she did whenever she was questioned, but I could tell that she was at ease with Kanaya.

"Who was there?" My sister asked.

"You, me, Karkat, Vriska...All the usual."

"What did we look like?" This was the question that always bothered me.

"We had horns...they looked like candy corn." Her sightless eyes glanced atound the room as she recalled her dream. "We all had grey skin. Except." She looked directly at Kanaya. "For you. You were glowing white."

If this bothered Kan, she didn't show it. "Where were we?"

Terezi thought for a while. "I...I'm not sure." She scrunched her nose. "We weren't in the hives...or on Alternia at all..."

Terezi's subconscious had created a completely different universe, one where we were all aliens. Where we lived in homes called hives on a planet named Alternia. In her dream, she could smell and taste colors. Instead of family, the aliens, called "trolls", grew up with lusii, or custodians. Earth still existed, but only a handful of the people she knew lived there. This dream made me incredibly uncomfortable, because it was a world in which I didn't meet Terezi until I was in my mid teens. (The term she used was "Sweeps". Not equivalent to a year, closer to two years.) We all played a game called "Sgrub", at least we were going to. She said they hadn't started yet.

"How old were we?"

"Karkat had just turned 6 sweeps. We were all about 13."

"Had we started the game?"

"Yes."

This new answer startled me out of my thoughts. I stood up so quickly it knocked my chair over.

My sister glared at me, then turned back to Terezi. "Thank you. That will be all for today." She dragged me over to the corner.

"Kanaya, can't you see? She's getting worse." I pleaded with her. "Let me take her to the special facility upstate. In the city."

"Karkat, she can't know anything's wrong. She isn't stable." Kanaya rubbed her temples. I would love to let you take her, but I don't think that would be wise at all."

"I may be blind, but I'm not deaf," Terezi called. "I can hear everything that's coming out of your mouths. I'm not Helen fucking Keller."

"That's good," I grunted, "Because I want you to hear me say this."

I sauntered up to her bed, and knelt down.

"Karkat, what are you doing?" Terezi asked, confused. She knew that I had lowered myself. I took a deep breath.

"'Rezi, do you remember when we first met each other? At-"

"The playground." She mused. "I was five, and you were four and a half. You had ice cream on your face. How much I imagine that face has changed..." She put a hand on my head, and my breath caught.

_Do not cry, Karkat, for God's sake do not fucking cry_.

"Well," I swallowed. "Jesus, this is just as embarrassing as the ice cream. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve, and opened my hand, putting the small object into Terezi's palm. "Terezi Pyrope, will you do me the honor of letting me spend the rest of my life with you, as your husband?"


	3. Chapter 3: An Argument

She sat there for what seemed like eternity, gazing just above my head. I was afraid of the entire possibility of her rejecting the offer, and I could hear my own heart beat. She felt the ring, a small, silver thing with a ruby embedded in the center. On the inside, it had the phrase "Love is Blind" in braille. She ran her finger over the message.

She found my hand, and placed the ring back in my palm. I could feel my heart break. Her face was serious, and concentrated.

"Put it on me."

"I...W-what?"

"Karkat you fucking nerd, put the ring on my damn finger."

I sat there in a half shock, but quickly recovered and did as she instructed. I pulled her into a tight hug, and I felt her fingers weave through my strawberry blonde hair. I finally let myself cry.

"Dammit, Terezi," I snuffled. "I thought you were rejecting me."

She smacked me as hard as she could.

"OW!" I screamed. "God fucking dammit, 'Rezi, what was that for?!" I could feel the indentation in my cheek where the ring hit.

Her scowl was so intense, I thought she was going to slap me again. "Don't you ever." She growled. "EVER. Fucking believe that I would reject you. There is no damn man in this entire fucking universe that could do any better." She moved her blind gaze around the room. "And don't any of you bitches fucking forget that. Goodnight." With that, she flopped down and rolled over, pretending to be asleep.

Vriska, Kanaya, and I all sat there in shock. What the _Hell_ just happened?

We all left the room, and stood in the hallway outside. I was the last one out, so I quietly shut the door. I turned around in time for my sister's hand to connect painfully with my cheek.

"What is WITH you all?!" I half screamed, furious.

Kanaya's freckled face was twisted with rage. "What the HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" She roared. I took a step back, my back against the door. "I tell you that she is mentally unstable, and you PROPOSE TO HER?! What the FUCK is WRONG WITH YOU?!"

I recovered myself quickly. "WHAT I'M DOING IS TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE! YOU MAY NOT GET IT, KANAYA, BUT JUST BECAUSE I'M, THE YOUNGEST DOEN'T MEAN THAT I AM WILLING TO SIT IN YOUR SHADOW. JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT TEREZI DOESN'T NEED HELP, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU FUCKING AREN'T. AS SOON AS I HAVE THE LEGAL ABILITY, I AM MOVING HER ASS UPSTATE TO PROFESSIONALS THAT WILL ACTUALLY HELP HER. UNLIKE YOU'RE DOING, KEEPING HER COOPED UP HERE LIKE A CAGED BIRD! DO YOU WANT TO CLIP HER WINGS, KANAYA? DO YOU? BECAUSE I WANT HER TO FLY. I WANT HER TO FUCKING SOAR. SHE ISN'T A BIRD, SHE'S A DAMN DRAGON! SHE WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING IN HER FUCKING WAY IF YOU KEEP HER IN CAPTIVITY. I'M NO DOCTOR, SIS, BUT I HAVE COMMON SENSE. YOU CAN'T KEEP HER HERE LIKE A FUCKING ANIMAL!"

I huffed and stormed off, leaving my jacket behind. I didn't want lunch. It didn't matter anyway. Fuck work.

I was going home.


	4. Chapter 4: A Surprise

On my way out of the lobby, I passed Sollux and Terezi's sister whispering. Sollux's brother, Mituna, was admitted a year ago. About three months after his wedding with Latula. I saw a tall man walk up to them. He had matted, wild hair, strange makeup on, and stitches closing his mouth shut. I shivered involuntarily as I passed the tall man in black, recognizing my best friend's fucked up druggie of a brother. His name was Kurloz. He was one of Mituna's best friends, so I could understand why he was here.

Mituna's 29 year old mind had been slowly descending to that of a five year old, and he seemed to be getting worse. I had heard rumors about Kurloz doing something to his mind, but I wasn't entirely sure. I know that the guy isn't the safest best friend, but I couldn't believe that anyone could do something to that extent.

I blinked and realized that I had been caught staring. Latula walked up to me, a small bundle in her arms. I found it hard to think of her as a mother. When I first met Terezi's oldest sister, she was a skateboarder whose room had a sign that read: "Do not 3nt3r! L4tul4'z r4d corn3r My m41n b1tch3z only"

"Is she okay?" Tula asked.

I shrugged. "She seemed fine. Her dream land has been progressing. We're no longer on Alternia."

The woman still looked concerned. She nervously tucked a strand of brunette hair behind her ear. She looked up at me through her square, red-framed glasses. I sighed.

"No." I replied to her unasked question. "You haven't made an appearance yet."

She nodded, looking sad. "That's what I thought." She started back to the bench where Sollux and Kurloz sat. "I'll see you later, Karkat."

I nodded. "You, too." I replied, and waved at everyone. I then, FINALLY, took my leave.

When I got to my apartment, I had several new messages. I sighed and decided to listen to them later. I wasn't in the mood right now. I slung my backpack onto a chair, and flopped on the couch to watch television. I turned on the set, not really seeing what was playing. I got lost in the plotless betrayals and schemes of the soap opera, thinking over what happened this afternoon, and decided I might as well listen to what the machine had picked up.

The first one was from my boss.

"Vantas, get your sorry ass back here. Your lunch break ended half an hour ago. If you don't get your piece of shit self behind that counter before 2:00, you'll have Hell to pay." He cut off and shouted something incoherent to an employee.

"Right. Two O'Clock, Vantas. Don't disappoint me." He hung up. I looked at the clock. 2:04. Oh, well. I'll call it a "Family Emergency". More like family pain in the ass.

The next message was from Kanaya.

"Look, Karkat, I'm sorry. I overreacted to something, and I think that just made it worse. Terezi yelled at me, telling me that she was going to sleep until tomorrow, and not to disturb her. Vriska stayed, and recently called me down at reception, telling me that Terezi was yelling in her sleep...We don't want to wake her up until you're here. If you could please excuse my reproachable behavior, we would very much appreciate you coming back down to the hospital. Talk to you later." I huffed, and pressed the delete button.

The last message was from Terezi.

"Hi, Karkat." She whispered into the phone. "Vriska thinks I'm asleep, so I'll have to keep this brief." She took a deep breath. "I meant to tell you something before you left. Well, I've meant to tell you this since I found out. I just couldn't bring myself to actually start this conversation." She cleared her throat nervously. "You know how I had a fling with Dave this summer, while you were finishing college? Um...It was a bit more than I told you. 'Fling' has a loose definition here. To make a short story shorter, well." She giggled nervously. "Karkat, I'm pregnant."


	5. Chapter 5: Advice

The next thing I knew, I was on a couch, looking at the ceiling of a familiar office. "I have no idea what just happened to my life." I sighed, and looked at the blonde woman in the chair nearby. She nodded understandingly.

"My brother always was a little too eager."

I read over the Diploma on the wall for the millionth time.

ROSE LALONDE

GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

MASTERS IN PSYCHOLOGY

GRADUATED CUM LADE

CERTIFIED THERAPIST

Dr. Lalonde straightened her headband. "You know, Karkat, maybe you should just abort the baby." She looked very serious. "If you don't think that you can handle the stress of a child that isn't your own, there's a solution for that."

I scowled. "I know Terezi. If she was going to let anyone lay a finger on that fetus, she would have had it aborted when she found out. She didn't want to tell me, so I know that she wants that thing pretty badly, to risk me finding out, versus killing it." I threw my hands up in the air. Rose had helped me with my anger control, but could she help me with the legal problem this would cause? "Dave probably already knows, but he has a fucking girlfriend! This better not turn into a war for paternal rights."

Rose shrugged. "Dave isn't exactly the fatherly type, and besides, he has Meulin. I doubt it'll be a problem."

"I really don't care about that, come to think of it. What makes me sick, is that she's had to be like this for at least two months, and I never noticed! I just thought that she was putting on a few pounds. They dote on her at that hospital, how was I supposed to know?" I pulled at my hair, screaming obscenities internally. I tried to breathe deeply, but before long, I found myself in tears.

"I am such an awful fiancé. How do I expect to take care of her legally, if I can't even notice that she's fucking _pregnant?!" _I screamed. "She deserves so, so, so much better than me. I am not cut out to take care of anyone. I just...can't..do it!" I felt like the titan Atlas, carrying the world on his shoulders.

Rose seemed unfazed by my sudden outburst. "Karkat, don't blame yourself. She's still in her first trimester, she isn't very big yet, the only palpable symptoms should be morning sickness and mood swings, both of which can be misdiagnosed as depression or a particularly bad period." She shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, other than to marry her before the child comes. Otherwise, you could get caught in a legal battle with Mr. Strider."

I sat up. "Thanks anyway, Rose. I'll go back to the hospital." I stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Maybe Kanaya can nab me a spot in the janitorial staff there." I nodded at Rose, and exited. It was a short walk to the hospital, but I had to duck my head and pull up my hood when I walked past the coffee shop.

I made my way up to room 413, and saw the party from the lobby there as well. Sollux, Latula, Kurloz, and even Mituna were there. I also saw my friend Gamzee, standing in the corner. He had chosen to forgo his usual makeup today, for which I was grateful. I was not up to dealing with his capricious shit right now.

I rushed to Terezi's bedside, and the group parted to let me through. She was tossing and turning, drenched in sweat. Whatever she was dreaming about, it seemed to bother her quite a bit.

That was when she started shrieking.

Everyone jumped a bit when she suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream, except Gamzee. He stood silently in the corner, a slight scowl on his face. I could see the three diagonal scars on his face from when his father struck out at him once. He traced the middle slash absentmindedly, seeming frustrated with a memory.

Terezi's face was drenched in sweat, her sleeping expression twisted with grief.

I decided that was enough. I started shaking her. "'Rezi? Terezi, wake up! 'Rezi, it's me! It's Karkat! Shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay." She wouldn't wake up, but she started sobbing. I saw here eyes snap open, and with strange accuracy, she honed in on Gamzee.

"YOU SICK BASTARD!" She shrieked. "HOW COULD YOU?!"

"I'd like to say I have no idea what you're down and talkin about, motherfucker," He replied calmly, a small grin on his face. His expression was terrifying. There was pride and self hatred, regret and triumph, all at the same time. "I'd really love to say that." With that cryptic remark, he left. We all sat in silence, Terezi shaking with anger.

Kanaya entered just as Gamzee left. "I heard screaming. I was down the hall, checking on Cal."

Cal was one of the worst cases in the hospital. Only hospital officials knew exactly their name, gender, and so forth. All the layman could know is that they were a seriously fucked up person with no family, no home, and no idea who they actually were. Someone found them on the side of the road, a tooth gone and a poorly made fake leg in place of a missing one.

Terezi could identify everyone in the room by the sound of their breathing alone. She knew Kurloz was there when there was a strange, ominous absence in a crowd. "Karkat," she whispered, grabbing my arm. "Did you get my message?"

I grit my teeth. "Yes, I did. I suppose that there's no convincing you to abort, is there?"

She grinned. "Nope."


End file.
